Opponents argue the APEC agenda of liberalizing trade further strengthens wealthy nations at the expense of developing countries, who largely can only compete in low wage industries such as garment manufacturing.

With less than three months before AEC is launched, the business community is still not convinced that the governments in Asean are politically committed towards AEC. Many feel the countries in the region are not pulling up their socks to remove non-tariff barriers

The next round of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks between Taiwan and the U.S. will be held in October in Taipei at the earliest. Besides food safety, Taiwan is expected to raise issues relating to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and bilateral investment agreement (BIA) in the meeting.

Malaysia gives equal emphasis to two trade pacts – Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) said International Trade and Industry Minister, with RCEP provide a future boost for the four Asean countries in the TPP negotiations.

With most of the high-priority measures in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint already adopted, policymakers and businesses need to work closely on the remaining challenges to achieve benefits of full economic integration beyond 2015

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations aims to establish an economic community known as the AEC whose ultimate goal is said to allow free trade, investment and movement of workers between the 10 nations that make up the grouping

Links

ASEAN Briefing is a platform dedicated to the various and increasing number of trade treaties and agreements throughout the ASEAN region, produced by tax and legal professionals Dezan Shira & Associates.

The Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) is a campaign network of concerned individuals and organisations responding to economic justice issues and the impact of globalisation and free trade on Pacific communities.

1-Dec-2017ITUC

The ITUC General Council adopted an emergency resolution strongly condemning Argentina’s decision to deny accreditation to more than 60 civil society representatives to the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference.

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